Leak’s timing suspicious

Massage parlour leak a ‘smear, ' Layton says, May 1

With the 2005 leak from the RCMP about income trusts prior to the 2006 election that brought Canada its new and first Harper government, last week’s leak of a vice squad police officer’s notes about Jack Layton is the second recent attempt to use confidential police information to influence the out come of an election.

These are very dangerous interventions, which threaten the public trust in the police. The threat to democracy of policemen who meddle in elections should worry every Canadian.

Michael D. Levin, Toronto

Is it a coincidence that one of Stephen Harper’s key GTA candidates (Julian Fantino) was previously the chief of police for Toronto, and now we have a sudden revelation from a police officer of Mr. Layton’s connection to a police action? Or does the Conservative contempt of Parliament extend even farther?

Ken Kembry, Toronto

The latest smear tactics against Mr. Layton puts the perpetrators in a low class with the American right wing of the Republican Party. They will stop at nothing to get their way. I was wavering a bit trying to decide where to put my vote. After seeing how low some will go, my vote is going to the Orange Wave. Yes, we can.

Tom Pascoe, Whitby

Re: Take a breather. He’s not Lenin, he’s just Jack, April 29

Thomas Walkom describes the clever way the NDP propelled itself to second place. But Walkom did not mention one of the scare tactic used by the Conservatives — that if the NDP is elected government, our gas prices would rise by 10 cents. Didn’t we have a Conservative government for five years and our gas prices went from about 80 cents to $1.35?

To blame the NDP for a future rise in gas prices is as equally absurd as to blame the Conservatives for the past increases.

Spyridon Moshonas, Toronto

Now we have arrived full force at the American-style smear propaganda. Did Jack get a massage from Monica? Let the soap opera begin, Mr. Harper. You will certainly not be the beneficiary.

Renate Gasber, Etobicoke

I don’t understand how a constable can remove police information and keep it in his personal possession after he’s retired from the police force.

Surely confidentiality policies and questions of theft of police property should be brought to bear upon officers who would engage in such behaviours for personal and political gain 15 years after the event.